To Manage Mischief
by Beyond the Boundary
Summary: Harry Potter AU. The Magical Crime Response Team are the underdogs of the Magical Congress. Despite this, someone has decided to target the members of the team to take down the Auror Office from within. In the wake of this new threat, the group slowly grows closer, not only as friends, but as a family as well. Teamfic.
1. Shark Bait

**[A/N]:** _Hello! Thank you for taking the time to stop and give this fic a chance. It's a rather outlandish idea, but I thought it would be fun to play with considering the characters of NCIS are so unique. I spent a long time reading the HP Wikias and looking up spells to try and be as accurate as I can, but really, I've taken a lot of creative liberties with this one. I'm not sure how long I plan for this to go on. Most likely around mid season 3, as I would like to introduce Ziva at some point, as well. The first few chapters will mainly focus on introducing the characters in this different universe._

 _As for point of view, I intended for this fic to be written from Kate's perspective, but McGee was just so easy to write. I may switch it around between the three (Tony, Kate and Tim) in later chapters. With that said, I hope you enjoy and please leave a comment if you can. Thank you! - BB_

 _All spelling/grammatical errors are mine._

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 _Shark Bait_

* * *

"Keep up, McGee."

"Sorry, sir."

"Don't call me 'sir', McGee. It's Gibbs or 'Boss'," the man informed him bluntly before taking a sip of his coffee.

Tim rushed to follow his quick strides, "Sorry, sir – I mean – Uh, Boss." The two entered the elevator and Tim winced at how much he was fumbling with his words. _Great,_ first day on the job and he was already screwing it up.

He just couldn't help it. When he applied for the Auror position, he hadn't been expecting much. It was common knowledge that the selection process for the job was very meticulous and the chances that one of the Senior Aurors would take interest in a new recruit were slim. The last known addition to the Auror Office had been four years ago with a woman named Caitlin Todd, but even then, she had an advantage from the start after transferring from protection detail of the President of the Magical Congress.

Five years ago, Tim would have never dreamed that he would be an Auror (well, Auror in training), and really, he had never envisioned himself working for the government, let alone the Magical Congress. He was a half-blood, as his father had been a wizard and his mother a muggle. He hadn't even known about magic until he had received a letter from the Flumine Academy of Magic in Washington D.C. stating that he was accepted into their school. During those years, magic had been the best and worst thing that has ever happened to him. The charms and spells were fun, but the pranks and bullying were ten times worse than they were in muggle schools. To this day, Tim still felt nauseous when he saw slugs.

It hadn't been all bad, though. He had passed his OWLs and NEWTs with flying colors, earning 'Exceeds Expectations' in most subjects and even an 'Outstanding' in a few others. Not only was he a good student when it came to magic, but he worked very well with muggle technology. The Head of the Auror Office, Director Morrow, had even stated that part of the reason why he had been accepted over other candidates was due to his experiences in the muggle world.

But despite his knowledge and what he liked to consider competence, he did fall a bit weak in one specific category: Defense Against the Dark Arts.

He had received an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his NEWTs , so it wasn't that he was uneducated in the subject, but more along the lines of that he was… lacking, in a sense. Tim understood theories and methods without any problems, but it was the dueling that he needed guidance with. He was hoping that now that he was in training, Gibbs would be willing to show him a few pointers.

 _Or maybe not,_ Tim thought with another glance at his new boss, feeling strangely intimidated.

One other thing that had surprised him with this job was that he was not going to be just any Auror, but part of the Magical Crime Response Team.

Headed by Senior Advisory Auror Leroy Gibbs, the MCRT was meant to be the 'on call' group that dealt with the more investigative side of the job. While other teams targeted larger scale, notorious dark wizards, their team was meant to catch the smaller threats before they became larger problems for the community. In simpler terms, they were wizard cops, which was exciting and a bit frightening on its own, especially for a man like Tim McGee, whose previous job entailed fixing and working on computers.

The elevator dinged and a disembodied female voice announced, " _West Wing, 3-B, Magical Case Response Team._ "

Gibbs did not even wait for the voice to finish, and squeezed out of the elevator as soon as the double doors opened, leaving Tim to rush after him. The pair turned the corner and passed a few random doors before they arrived at the main office area. And while Gibbs did not hesitate to head towards his desk, the younger man stopped and took a moment to look around in awe at the sheer amount of magic in the room.

The room was painted a bright orange color, but he then noticed that the shade was slowly shifting into a brighter hue, mimicking the early morning sky outside the window. When he glanced up, the ceiling was absent, leaving a dark void in its place. He assumed that this was the reason why the room was lit with orbs of light instead, some large and stationary, while smaller ones hovered above the desks. Papers sat suspended above the desks and when Gibbs reached his chair, Tim watched as a few documents made their way over to him.

The silver-haired man plucked them from the air sharply, "Kate, is this John Huggan's background check?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Tim saw a woman turn towards Gibbs, "Yes, he's a forty-five-year-old Caucasian male, half-blood, went to school outside of the states and moved here when he was twenty-three. He is currently unemployed and married to Jennifer Huggan." After her report, the woman, whom he assumed was 'Kate', sent Tim a cursory glance before she looked back down at her work.

"DiNozzo, how's he related to our vic?" Gibbs asked while his eyes never left the papers in front of him.

The man seated behind the desk opposite of Kate's leaned back in his chair and began to explain his findings, "Well, their relationship is definitely weird. It's like if Kate and I were to get married –."

" _DiNozzo."_

"Right. Sorry, Boss. Ducky's confirmed that our Jane Doe is actually Jennifer Huggan, age thirty-eight, and she's a Squib," DiNozzo also looked over at Tim, but instead, a smirk spread across his face and he raised a brow towards Kate's direction, who simply rolled her eyes at the gesture.

Gibbs finally raised his head from his desk to speak to DiNozzo directly, "You tellin' me that our vic was John Huggan's wife?"

"Yes," the other Auror started. "And according to Abby, his sister as well."

The room was quiet for a few seconds until Gibbs rose from his chair and muttered, "I need coffee." Gibbs strode back out of the office with his now seemingly empty styrofoam cup.

"Um, Boss?" DiNozzo piped up and pointed to Tim. "What about –?"

"Introduce yourself, McGee," was all Gibbs said before going back into the elevator, leaving Tim alone with the two other Aurors.

* * *

 _ **Squib** \- A non-magical being, born into a wizarding family. They are often looked down upon by the wizarding community._

 _ **President of the Magical Congress** \- Like the Minister of Magic, the President of the Magical Congress heads the American wizarding government, not to be mistaken as the President of the United States._

 _ **Magical Congress** \- The United States' wizarding government._

 **Flumine Academy of Magic -** _A wizarding school that I took the liberty to create. 'flumine' quite literally means 'by the river' in Latin._


	2. The Start of the Trio

**[A/N]:** _Hello again! First I wanted to start off by saying thank you to those who have followed or reviewed! I'm incredibly happy that there are people out there that are enjoying this fic as much as I enjoy writing it. This chapter focuses more on our trio and establishing the relationship between them, as well as bringing their abilities to light. I tried to reflect their skills on the show in their wizarding abilities, so I hope that you can find the connection, haha._

 _In terms of plot, I'd like to say that the main arc will begin around chapter 4-5. These first few chapters are really meant for me to be able to flesh out the characters a bit more and the dynamic of the team._

 _With that said, I hope you like this next chapter! Please leave feedback if you can; I really appreciate it! -_ BB

 _All spelling/grammatical errors are mine._

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

 _The Start of the Trio_

* * *

The silence was deafening at first. No one seemed willing to want to start any type of conversation. Gibbs did say to introduce himself, but for some reason, under the stares of both Kate and DiNozzo, he couldn't seem to utter a sound.

"So," DiNozzo started. "Your name's McGee?"

He stuttered, "I – uh, yes. I'm Tim McGee, the new –."

The other man interrupted, "Auror in training. All right. The name's Tony DiNozzo and over there is my partner…" He trailed off so that the woman could present herself. She seemed to be examining a form when she looked up from her work with a small smile.

"Kate Todd," she finished.

Tim's eyes widened slightly. He didn't know how he didn't make the connection sooner. "Caitlin Todd? You mean…?"

"That's right, Probie," Tony confirmed with a grin while Tim frowned at his new nickname. "Katie was the last person to be accepted as an Auror. Well, with the exception of you… Probie."

Tim was about to open his mouth to speak, when a blast of blue flew passed his face. The shot was quickly reflected by Tony and flew up into the dark abyss of that he had deemed as the ceiling. "Aw, come on. Don't be like that, Katie."

To his left, Kate had risen from her desk and had her wand out and pointed at her partner. " _Don't_ call me Katie," she growled and glared at Tony. "I'm not afraid to use the _Incarcerous_ jinx on you."

"Ooh," Tony raised a brow teasingly. "Gonna tie me up again, Kate? I didn't know you were into that."

"You're a pig."

One retort lead to another, and Tim quickly found himself on the sidelines, leaving him to watch the argument. While the two bickered, Tim took the chance to briefly evaluate the Aurors. When he had seen Gibbs he hadn't known what to expect as for the other people on the MCRT, but he was fairly surprised to find that both Kate and Tony were relatively young. In fact, they looked to be only a few years older than he was.

Kate was a pretty brunette with hazel eyes and a slightly petite form. Her bangs were swept to the side and framed her face nicely while the rest of her wavy locks fell over her shoulders. He noted her professional attire, which consisted of a blazer and skirt. And judging by what he had just witnessed, she was obviously the more mature one of the pair.

On the other hand, Tony seemed like the typical jokester of the group. He wore the same type of clothing, a bit formal with his dress shirt and slacks. However, everything else about the man screamed casual. He had his feet on his desk and his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his swivel chair with a smirk playing upon his features.

And though Tim had learned not to make assumptions about people he had just met, he was well aware of one thing: the arguing was going to be a daily occurrence with these two.

He interrupted them after a few seconds, "So, uh – what's going on with John Huggan…? Am I allowed to know?"

Both Kate and Tony exchanged a look before Tony sat up and instead of answering his question, he cleared his throat, "Well, before we get into the case, let's get to know each other a bit more. What exactly are you planning to bring to this team, Probie?"

He blinked, "Sorry?"

"What is it that you specialize in, Tim?" Kate rephrased Tony's words and added a friendly smile, probably trying to ease his nerves. "For example, Tony and Gibbs are more adapted to dueling or offensive spells. Gibbs was a Hit Wizard before all of this, Tony's a spell inventor, etcetera, etcetera."

Tim blurted out curiously before he could stop himself, "What about you?" Ever since he had started attending school for sorcery, he loved learning new things about the wizarding world. He didn't have many wizard friends and his family didn't like it when he used magic around them, so he spent a lot of time tucked away in the muggle community.

"It's okay to wonder, McGee," Kate encouraged, as if reading his mind. "I grew up in that world, too."

He was left gaping at the woman and heat rushed to his cheeks. Had he said that out loud? "How—?"

"Kate's a Legilimen, Probie," Tony explained, obviously amused by his bafflement. "So if there's something you don't want leaked, either keep it locked up real tight or don't make eye contact with her. She's the best the A.O.'s got when it comes to defensive spells. Show him your Patronus, Kate!"

The brunette expressed flatly, "It's not a circus act, Tony."

"Come on! I doubt the kid's ever seen a corporeal one before."

"I'm not going to conjure it for no reason!"

Tony waved his hand dismissively, "Just send a message to Abby or something."

During this time, all Tim could do was stare in wonder at the duo. Hit Wizards, Legilimens, Occlumens – they were all people that Tim had only ever heard and read about. The fact that he was going to be working with such skilled witches and wizards made him a bit self-conscious.

 _Don't think like that, Tim,_ he reprimanded himself mentally.

This was his job now and even though he was still inexperienced, he hoped that one day, with enough time, he could be as proud and confident about what he did for a living as Tony and Kate were. He wanted to be a part of this team and feel the same sense of camaraderie that had the other two Aurors at ease.

And the only way he was going to do that was if he opened up a bit more and pushed himself to be more confident.

"Miss Todd," Tim tried, "I would love to see a corporeal Patronus – uh, if you don't mind."

After a few moments of silence, both she and Tony then burst into laughter. He blinked innocently, wondering what he had said to bring upon their amusement.

Kate chuckled, "It's just Kate, McGee. I feel old if you call me 'Miss'. _Don't_ even say anything, Tony," she shot a glare at DiNozzo, who was clearly ready to comment on her age. "And I suppose I could pass along a message to the lab… Abby would be happy to finally meet you; she's been really hyper ever since Gibbs told her he was hiring a new Auror."

Tim wasn't even able to ask who 'Abby' was before Kate closed her eyes and he heard her whisper under her breath, " _Expecto Patronum._ "

A rush of wind passed through the office as silver wisps floated off of the tip of Kate's wand at a rapid pace, pooling on the ground until they began to come together to form a shape. The lights in the room suddenly dimmed and a subtle darkness filled the office. A soft glow emanated from the core of the figure, steadily growing stronger and brighter with each passing second. The smoke gathered together, wrapping itself around the light until he could make out the head of a beautiful horse. The remaining fog fell away at the animal's feet and Tim was startled when the Patronus let out a whine and shook its mane, impatiently trotting in place on slender, lean legs. Then, it turned to Kate for a brief moment before it went rushing off with another cry, jumping above Tim's head and disappearing as it ran straight into the wall.

An echo of the Patronus reverberated through the office and faded slowly while the lights began to regain luminosity. Tim was left staring wide-eyed at the spot where the horse had vanished.

Back when he had been in school, he knew a few of the teachers were able to conjure corporeal Patronouses, but to see one up close and powerful… It was just one of the many new experiences that he would witness while working as an Auror.

Tim had been so lost in thought that he hadn't sensed Tony move up behind him. "Pretty cool, huh, Probie? Mine are always intangible. Apparently Gibbs has got one, but no one's ever really seen it," the older Auror said while he clapped a hand over Tim's shoulder.

"That was pretty amazing, Kate," the younger Auror smiled, still feeling the lingering excitement flowing through his veins.

"Thank you, McGee. But from what I've read, you're pretty good yourself. Says here that you scored a seven out-of ten on your Aurors' Course Exam for the Patronus Charm," Kate told him while she held a manila folder in her hands. It was only when he took another glance at it that he realized that the whole time he had been there, she hadn't been looking at a file on the Huggans. She had been reading _his_.

"What? That's higher than mine…!" Tony muttered and moved over to her desk to peek at what she had been studying.

"Y-You had my file the whole time?" Tim asked, not sure how to feel about his teammates going through his information.

Kate gave him a sheepish look, "Sorry, Tim. We wanted to see if you would volunteer the information first, but…"

"We got a bit side-tracked," Tony finished and flashed him a smile. "Don't worry, Probie. It's not like we're prying through your personal files; those are confidential. These are the filtered ones that Gibbs gives us whenever he thinks about bringing someone onto the team – kinda like a second opinion. I got to see Kate's when she joined."

"Plus, you've got nothing to be embarrassed about. You're very skilled, Tim," Kate noted while her eyes still laid upon a revised form of his application.

"Really…?" He couldn't help but grin at the warm praise.

"Yep. Skilled enough to catch Gibbs' attention, and that's all that matters." She winked back at him.

Pride and gratification filled his insides at his new discovery. He wanted to tell her that _no_ , that was not all that mattered. Tony and Kate had seconded Gibbs' opinion to hire him as an Auror. They had both just admitted to him that they accepted him as a co-worker and thought he was advanced enough to be a part of their team, albeit in a round-about way.

Tim couldn't be happier.

He refocused his thoughts when Kate asked, "I only have one question, though. It says you specialize in 'tracking', but what exactly _is_ 'magical sensory'?" Both Tony and Kate looked at him expectantly and Tim was a bit surprised.

He would have thought that his sensory talent would have been what sold him for the job, but the two Aurors didn't seem to have a clue as to what it was. Then again, his mother had told him a long time ago that it was a rare skill, one that someone had to be born with. Even so, the thought that he had managed to impress his new co-workers without his trump card had left him feeling pleased with himself.

He cleared his throat, "Ah – it's an ability that some people have when they have a seer in their family… My great-great-grandmother had been one. It kind of gives me a sixth sense – one that lets me detect and trace a witch or wizard's magic signature."

Tony had his arms folded, looking slightly skeptical, "How does that work?"

Tim explained patiently, "Everyone's magic is different, so once I've identified someone's magic, I can track where they are. The only exception is if they've got a ward or charm around them to hide their mark. For example, if I were outside this building, I wouldn't be able to sense anyone in here since the Congress has tons of wards and protective spells around it. However, since I'm _inside_ , I can sense that there are over six thousand ambiguous magic users in Woolworth and three identified ones."

Kate seemed impressed as she nodded her head in interest at this new information. "Wow. So, who do the three ID'd signatures belong to?"

"You, me, and Tony," Tim answered confidently. "There are probably others – Gibbs, the receptionist downstairs, the wizard who tested me for this job, but magic signatures are a bit like a footprint. It fades or gets overlapped by different people over time. The sooner the magic was cast, the stronger the signature is."

"So… You're a bit like a bloodhound?" Tony joked cheekily while Tim frowned, not particularly fond of the fact that he was being compared to a dog.

He was about to make a quip back, but he stopped when he sensed someone moving towards them. It was an ambiguous magic user, so it could have been anyone. Part of him wanted to think that it was just Gibbs coming back from his coffee run, but there was something… _different_ about this person. The stranger was approaching with a rapid pace and when he finally dared to turn around, he was met with the beady gaze of a magpie wearing a mini studded collar. Its wings were flapping furiously, creating a blur of blue, white, and black.

Frightened by the sudden appearance of the bird, he took several steps back, bumping into the front of Kate's desk. Tim was about to prompt the other two as to what the hell a magpie was doing in their office, when Tony moved towards it.

"Hey, Abs. Why are you in animal form?" He leaned over to greet the winged creature, who was now perched on Kate's desk lamp.

Tim watched as the bird flew off its landing and morphed into a woman in midair. She straightened herself out, running a few pale fingers through her black pigtails. She brushed off her ACDC baseball tee and pulled her plaid skirt further down over her fishnet covered legs before twirling around to face them. She looked to be about his age and he briefly noted that she wore the same collar around her neck that the magpie had on.

The woman, who he could only assume was 'Abby', sighed and pouted, jutting out her bottom lip which was covered in black lipstick, "Aww, I wanted to see if I could scare the newbie. Way to ruin it, Tony."

"Sorry to break it to you, Abs, but I don't think you can sneak up on this one," DiNozzo chuckled.

The goth shrugged, "I would've worked something out." She sat down on Kate's desk and swung her legs back and forth. "You must be Timmy McGee. I'm Abby Scuito, magical forensics specialist, animagus, and potion extraordinaire."

"Actually, it's just 'Tim'…" he corrected lightly. The last time he had been called 'Timmy' was when he was twelve. He had been ready to move passed the subject, more intrigued by her animagus status, but she cut him off.

"Hm, well Ducky told me your name was 'Timothy', so I'm calling you 'Timmy', Timmy," Abby pressed her lips together and crossed her arms in a ' _that's, that_ ', sort of way.

He took in a deep breath, knowing to quit while he was ahead, faced the lab specialist, "It's nice to meet you, Abby." He held out a hand to her so they could shake on it.

Instead of accepting his hand, her frown changed into a bright smile and she threw her arms over his shoulders, "Aw, you're a sweet guy, McGee. Welcome to the team!"

"Uh…" He struggled as Abby's arms crushed his neck. Tim looked over to Tony and Kate for help, but Tony just raised his hands as to not get involved and Kate gave him a sympathetic look and ducked her head as if to say, ' _that's just how she is, sorry.'_

Abby pulled back but stayed close enough to drape an arm around his shoulders, "But still, it would've been funnier if you let me scare you."

"Sorry," Tim started, a bit amused. "Tony's right, though. It's kind of impossible to sneak up on me—."

"You sure about that, McGee?"

All four of them jumped as Gibbs entered the office with a steaming fresh cup of coffee in his hand. Tony hurried back to his desk while Abby untangled herself from his form. Kate's head dropped back down to her work and the heat burning his face made Tim feel like he had just been caught making out with Gibbs' daughter.

"Don't you have evidence to process?" The older man inquired pointedly at the black-haired woman.

Abby nodded, "Jennifer Huggan's clothes and the debris piece you got from the scene are being scrubbed for magic residue right now, but it _really_ would be better if I had John Huggan's wand—."

"Just find me something, Abs. Ducky's got his M.S. on the body, but unless we have some other evidence, he'll be hard to prosecute since he's related to the victim," Gibbs stated. Abby gave a small wave to them all before shifting back into a magpie and flying from the room. "McGee, put your stuff down. You three are with me; we're going down to Ducky's to get that sig and head out. I want that bastard in custody today."

Without another word, Gibbs turned on his heel and strode back out of the office with Kate and Tony hot on his heels. Tim rushed over to the desk that the man had pointed at, right next to Tony's. He almost didn't notice the metal stand resting on top of it reading _Timothy F. McGee._ And all of a sudden, the events of that morning came and punched him in the gut. The dream-like and never-ending state of awe he had been in ever since he met Leroy Gibbs had faded and plopped him down into reality.

He was an actual Auror.

Tim reached out to run his fingers along the engraving until a sharp voice pierced the air.

"You comin', McGee?"

"Sorry, sir! I mean – Boss!" He apologized, dumped his bag by his desk, and ran over to join his new team.

* * *

 **Incarcerous -** _A spell that conjures thick rope or thin cord to bind the person the caster is pointing his/her wand at._

 **Hit Wizard -** _The wizarding equivalent of the US Army Special Forces._

 **Spell Inventor -** _A witch or wixard who has a vast understanding_ _of magic to be able to create their own spells. This is can be a very dangerous art if not practiced correctly._

 **Legilimen/Occlumen -** _One who practices Legilimency/Occlumency. While Legilimen can navigate through someone's mind and interpret their findings, Occlumen practice the art of repelling this force and are able to create a barrier around their mind. Legilimens are also known as 'mind readers' in the muggle world._

 **A.O. -** _Auror's Office._

 **Corporeal/Incorporeal Patronus** _\- A corporeal Patronus is the final, and very advance, form of a Patronus where the spell takes the form of a spirit guardian. Those who can create the complete form of a Patronus are considered very skilled, as it is a very difficult charm to master._

 **Magical Sensory -** _Yet another liberty of mine. It is the made up ability to be able to 'sense' someone's magic. Tim uses it to track down other witches/wizards._

 **Magical Signature (M.S.) -** _Every witch or wizard leaves behind a magical trace or magical signature that is embedded in their magic/spells._


	3. Pride and Polyjuice

**[A/N]:** _Hello! I'm very sorry that this chapter is a week late. For some reason this part was very difficult to write. However, I was able to watch some NCIS and get my muse back very quickly. I intended for this chapter to go on longer, but with the content, it just seemed like it was becoming a monster chapter, so sorry if this seems a bit short. I already have part of the other chapter written, so that should be done fairly quick._

 _A quick thank you to all of the new followers and those who reviewed! Your words inspired me to work through my writers block._

 _Also, another thing: I'll be honest, I haven't watched passed early season three of the show. Most of the character information I get for the characters is from the NCIS wiki or I take liberties. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter! - BB_

 _All spelling/grammatical errors are mine._

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

 _Pride and Polyjuice_

* * *

Tim could see how being part of a four-man team would have some perks. Two pair of partners, three people to watch his back, four minds to solve a crime, and so on. If he were to make a list, the benefits would surely outweigh the drawbacks.

However, while being crammed into a small elevator, all he could think about were the disadvantages of having three other people to share air within the confined space. The jerky movements of the box didn't help the situation, either. Luckily, a magical elevator moves quicker than a normal one, so the ride wasn't too long.

Once they had reached their stop and the female voice recited, " _West Wing, 5-A, Medical Ward,"_ the group, except for Gibbs, all but stumbled out of the double doors. The three hastily recovered and followed after their boss.

"They really need to pass that Apparition Act," Tony muttered to him and Kate.

"And risk someone Apparating into the Department of Mysteries or something along those lines?" Kate asked rhetorically, then added, "Not worth it. Especially not after what happened in '96."

Tim was slightly lost. "What happened in '96?"

"Back during the years when the U.K. was having problems with that bald guy, some of his goonies Apparated into the Ministry of Magic to steal some prophecies from the Department of Mysteries. Since then, the Magical Congress has been real strict on who they allow in and out of Woolworth," Tony explained. "You probably passed security on your way in. They've got M.S. recognition to screen people."

 _So that's why this place is so thoroughly warded,_ Tim thought. When he sensed the area for magic from the outside, the Woolworth building was impenetrable, as if covered by a giant dome. "Has anyone ever been able to get in and… you know…?"

Tony smirked and finished his sentence for him, "Wreak havoc? Nope. Security's air tight, Probie. Think Kate, but times a hundred. That's how many guards they've got patrolling through here around the clock."

The four reached the end of the long hall and Gibbs pressed the tip of his wand against the door, causing it to slide open with a heavy thud. They walked inside the white, brightly lit room and Tim was surprised to find how homey the medical ward appeared to be. Well – as homey as a morgue could possibly be.

The room itself was huge – split off into two sections. One part of the ward was the obvious: exam tables and chrome autopsy slabs, accompanied by a large curtained area off to the side, which he could only assume, was where any _living_ patients resided. The other half was a comfy lounge with a white rug on the ground, a small counter that had a coffee machine and a mini fridge sitting atop it, and in the corner, a vibrant, L-shaped, orange couch stood out above all the rest.

"What's that…?" Tim asked Tony as the passed the florescent piece of furniture.

"We call it the 'Orange Couch of Destiny'," he said in a hushed tone. "Abby thought of it while she waited for Gibbs and I to finish getting out stitches put in a while back."

"What happened?"

Tony pointed at his side, "Let's just say Kate hadn't joined the team yet and our defensive skills in the field were a bit… Lacking. Abby was real dramatic about it – acted as if it were a life or death situation. She thought the acronym was clever."

Tim thought for a moment, but then hesitantly spelled out, "… OCD?"

"She also thought that sticking a mandrake leaf in her mouth for a month was a good idea," Tony shrugged. "Must be a goth thing…"

Tim decided it was better to leave the topic alone.

Although, he didn't really have a choice, because it was then that an unfamiliar voice spoke out, bouncing off the sterile walls, "Ah, Jethro! I assume you've come for Mister Huggan's signature?" A short man with round spectacles and graying brown hair turned around to face them with a small smile. It would have been a nice gesture, too, if it weren't for the fact that he had someone's long intestines floating around next to his head.

Tim swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.

"Pretty messy down here, Duck. What are you doing?" Gibbs inquired, raising a brow at the hovering organ.

"Come now, Jethro; you know that this is the most effective way to examine one's insides for magic residue," the older man answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Tim noted the British accent that was carried along with his words.

"But why the intestine, Ducky?" Kate asked, seemingly not minding that there was a body part drifting towards her in midair. She subtly took one step towards Tony to avoid being in its path of orbit.

'Ducky' looked towards her, "I'm terribly sorry. I did not mean to ignore you, Caitlin, Anthony, and… Ah!" Tim was given a large grin, "You must be the new Auror that Jethro hired. Timothy, is it?"

After being put on the spot, Tim straightened his posture, "Yes, sir – I'm Tim McGee, Auror in training." He mentally applauded himself for becoming better at presenting himself. But even though the Ducky's gaze was one of curiosity, much like Tony and Kate's had been, Tim found that the doctor's expression was understanding. In fact, his eyes were anything but judgmental – they were welcoming.

"Nice to meet you, my boy! I'm Doctor Donald Mallard, but my associates affectionately refer to me as 'Ducky'. I'm the medical examiner and on call doctor for the Auror's Office," he introduced. "Jethro has told me all about your tracking skills and I find them quite fascinating. You know, I once knew a man named Timothy that said he could sense magic with his big toe. Granted, the man was always surrounded by people who used magic, as he was a Squib in a half-blood family –."

"Duck!" Gibbs shouted loud enough to get the M.E.'s attention.

Ducky looked towards the silver-haired man expectantly.

"The sig?" Gibbs prompted.

"Right. As I was saying, Caitlin, the reason I was examining the intestine was because that was where the trace of magic signature was the strongest. However!" Ducky took out his wand and whispered a few words until the flying organ began to change from a fleshy pink color to a dark purple tone. Towards the end of the entrails, Tim spotted a speckled blast mark that was painted in blue. "As you can see, this blast was the start of where the body began to shut down. Since our poor dear was struck with an Unforgivable Curse, one would need a strong motive to enact this powerful of a spell."

"Which doesn't match John Huggan's profile…" Kate added.

Ducky agreed, "Precisely. There is something odd about this one, Jethro. I am sure of it."

"Kate, what are the chances of Huggan being capable of using a UC?" Gibbs rounded on the female Auror and Tim could tell he was in deep thought, inserting all the variables into an equation that would link everything together.

"Considering it was his wife – and sister that he killed? Around thirty percent," she answered.

Tony interjected, "Same chances of Kate getting laid tonight—oompf!" The brunette glared daggers at him after elbowing him in the ribs. "But she's right, Boss. Despite their strange situation, they were a happy couple. No incident reports about them, no signs of trouble in the relationship at all."

Tim watched the group go back and forth on information they had and trying to connect it back to the case, but he could tell they were struggling. He tried to analyze what little intel he had recently gained from the conversations so far, but he came to the same conclusion as everyone else.

Gibbs growled, "It doesn't make sense. How could someone like that be capable of producing an U.C.? Why would a man that's happily married kill his wife?" Tim watched his boss pace restlessly around the autopsy room while Kate and Tony seemed just as stumped. "We need to bring Huggan in if we're going to get anything else from this. Something's hiding from us."

Tim's head snapped up at his words. "Boss, what if – what if it _wasn't_ Jennifer Huggan that he killed?" The younger Auror asked suddenly.

"What do you mean, McGee? She's laying right here," now Gibbs just sounded frustrated. But then, Tim saw the moment when realization hit him. "Someone fed her Polyjuice Potion. Duck, what did you say the estimated time of death was?"

"About twelve hours," Ducky offered.

Kate chimed in with a look of comprehension upon her features as well, "That's why she looks like Jennifer Huggan now –."

"Because the potion had already worn off by the time we got to her," Tony finished.

"And magic doesn't die with its caster." Gibbs didn't waste another moment and sprang into action, heading towards the exit, "Ducky, give McGee the sig, we're heading out. You three meet me at the back of the building once you've got it. I'm going to talk to –."

At that moment, Abby decided to enter the room with her head bouncing excitedly as she bounded towards Gibbs. "Gibbs, Gibbs! Guess what I found in Jennifer Huggan's stomach contents! It's –."

"Polyjuice Potion; we know, Abs. See if you can extract anything from the remaining potion. This means that there's someone else involved in this – someone smart enough to be able to perfectly calculate the time when that potion would have expired," Gibbs left the room, leaving the only noise to be the audible sliding of the ward's door being shut.

Abby turned to them with a small frown on her face, "I hate it when he does that." She walked over to the orange couch and plopped down on it with a huff.

"Sorry, Abs," Kate spoke sincerely. "We're in a bit of a rush."

"Timothy," Ducky beckoned him over with a wave of his hand. Tim hurried over to the doctor's side. "Now, I assume you've never gotten a signature from a dead body, so listen closely. Point your wand towards where you see the blast mark and say _Tractonum._ "

Tim nodded in understanding and pulled his wand from his coat pocket. This was one of his first tests on the team. This was something that only _he_ could do, and he couldn't afford to mess it up. He licked his lips, slightly nervous, but with a firm resolve, he pushed the feeling away and mimicked, " _Tractonum_." A silver strand of magic flowed towards the tip of his wand and his hands tingled. "I know where he is!"

Kate and Tony had been staring at him apprehensively throughout the extracting process, but now they wore relieved expressions. The trio exited the medical ward with Abby and Ducky's calls of, "Good luck!" following after them.

Kate gave him a warm smile while they rushed to the elevator, "Good job, Tim. Now you get to help put this guy away on your first day."

"And he didn't even have to do any of the grunt work!" Tony added.

Gibbs had been exactly where he said he'd be: waiting for them at the back of the Woolworth building. There were a few other wizards there, taking brooms out from the large shed towards the far right of the lot. Tim saw that Gibbs had been watching the workers before his sharp and expectant eyes turned in their direction.

Tim repeated without being prompted, "I know where he is. He's hiding in a building off 9th street. I think it's an abandoned warehouse."

The Auror just stared at him for a few seconds and then nodded in approval. Tim's insides warmed just a bit at the brief display of praise, "Good. I hate flying. McGee, since you're still a trainee, whenever we are on the field, you're with me; Tony, you take Kate."

"In what way, Boss?" Tony asked and Gibbs smacked him on the back of his head in response. "Sorry, Boss." He recoiled and moved closer to Kate, who simply rolled her eyes at her partner's innuendo as she grabbed his hand.

Tim hadn't even realized that Gibbs had put a hand on his shoulder until the man had begun to count down. "One, two, three—."

And then the world morphed and shifted into darkness.

* * *

In less than a second later, Tim felt his feet touch the ground. He regained his balance and took a few deep breaths, still not completely used to the lurching sensations that Apparating usually brought upon its users. He duly noted Gibbs standing next to him, waiting. Another moment passed and with a loud crack, Tony and Kate appeared out of a tangle of blurred, bright lights. Gibbs ordered immediately, "Kate, put up a ward around this entire perimeter. If he's heard us, we don't want him Apparating away."

She pointed her wand towards the sky and he heard her mutter the words, " _Repello Inimicum_." A stream of white flew into the air and he saw a haze gloss over an invisible wall and ripple down until it hit the dirt a few yards away from them.

"McGee, can you pinpoint Huggan's location?"

Tim closed his eyes briefly and allowed his mind to paint an image of the warehouse. A blue aura was moving around in the right corner of his mental blueprint. But then, he saw another figure; a dark shadow was lingering in an area deeper in the building. "He's on the right hand side, second floor. Boss, there's someone else in there with him. It's an Unsub."

"Kate and I will head for the Unsub, Boss," Tony suggested with a twirl of his wand.

Gibbs agreed, "Be careful. We know that Huggan is capable of a U.C., there's a high chance that his buddy is, too. McGee and I will head in first, watch our backs from the other guy."

"Do you want me to put a Patronus on you?" Kate asked.

"No, a Patronus won't help with a U.C. Plus, it takes a lot out of you, and we need you at the top of your game if we're gonna catch these bastards." The Senior Auror nodded towards Tim, "Let's head in, McGee. Just remember three things as we go: Rule #1: never use a U.C. against anyone, not even a perp. Focus on stunning and disarming. Rule #14: clear the room before anything else. And Rule #8: never go anywhere without backup."

"What rules are those from, Boss?" Tim inquired, honestly curious of their source.

Gibbs was creeping towards the warehouse entrance when he turned to him and replied, "Gibbs' Rules."

"Of course…" Tim murmured as he pressed his body against the wall of the structure. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. _Calm down, Tim, you can do this,_ he encouraged himself.

However, the building suddenly shook and the ground pulsated, which did nothing to help his frantic heart. Tim's eyes met with Gibbs and he looked back at the other two Aurors that had their wands ready cautiously. Time seemed to stop for a moment when the four of them all exchanged wide eyed glances. It was hardly a second later when his boss called out to the other two Aurors, "Alright. Looks like we can't count on the element of surprise. Group up!" Tony and Kate jogged over to the side of the building to join them when Gibbs started explaining, "Kate, you cover our flank, DiNozzo, you and I are the offensive front, and McGee, you just make sure these assholes don't sneak up on us. Got it?"

Both Tim and Tony answered with a sharp, "Yes, Boss!" while Kate replied, "Got it, Gibbs." The MCRT began to form their positions with Tony and Gibbs leading in the front and Tim and Kate standing behind them.

"And finally, always remember to follow Rule #15," Gibbs reminded in a quieter voice as they all slowly made their way into the warehouse.

"Um, Boss?" Tim whispered. "What rule is that?"

"Always work as a team."

After that, they were all silent, focused on stalking through the seemingly abandoned area. A cold chill ran up his spine as they crept deeper into the shadows of the building, their only source of light coming from the open panels on the dome-like roof. Their footsteps softly echoed against the concrete floors and bounced off of solid, aging walls. Out of the corner of his eye, Tim could see the stacks and piles of discarded boxes and packaging units, all covered in a heavy layer of dust and dirt. He swallowed a gulp of thick saliva and wiped his sweaty hands on his slacks.

A few seconds later and without warning, another blast went off from above them and everyone instinctively ducked. Dust peppered them from the ceiling and the metal walls holding the place together began to whine with an awful creaking noise.

"McGee, where are they now?" Gibbs demanded.

Tim could feel the adrenaline that coursed through his veins and he was able to answer instantly now that his reflexes and senses were on overdrive. "The Unsub is right above us, but… Huggan is headed towards us right now!"

" _Crucio!_ "

When Tim turned, he saw a surge of red approaching at an alarming rate, aimed straight at him. And for a moment, he was frozen. His arms and legs refused to move, his head refused to turn, and his eyes couldn't tear away from the sight of the Cruciatus Curse getting ready to hit him. But in that same split second, a hoard of wooden crates obscured his vision and blew up just a few feet away from him. An arm yanked him away just as streams of blue began to fly through the air.

"McGee, what are you doing?" It took him longer than it should have for him to realize that he was staring into the concerned gaze of Kate Todd and he quickly took in her appearance. She had a few minor cuts and scrapes on her face and she was rather frazzled, but other than that, she seemed fine. He probably didn't look much better.

Finally, Tim shook himself out of his stupor, "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just stop like that. I –."

She shook her head, "Don't worry about that now. Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you, Tim; it's always like this in the field. If we're not the ones doing the shooting, then there's a high chance that the other side is. There's a chance that any one of us won't make it out alive, but we've all accepted that because it's part of our _job_. And I need to know right now if I need to take you back to Headquarters, or if you know what you've signed up for. Can you do this?"

 _Was he ready for this?_

He had been on the field before. He worked in the Muggle Relations Office for a bit before switching over into working with computers. It had been a tough and demanding job, and at the time, that hadn't been what he wanted for himself. Or that's what he told himself when he turned in his resignation, when truthfully, working in the MRO had been incredibly fun. It was spontaneous and odd and it added something new to his day whenever he went to work. But there had always been this _feeling_ that had been holding him back from enjoying it all.

And now they had returned.

His insecurities, his flaws, his lack of self-confidence – they were all getting in the way – trying to keep him from what he was really capable of. But he didn't want to hide behind his excuses anymore. He was tired of being scared.

Sure, there was the question of if he would actually make a fine Auror at all. And yes, being an Auror and tracking down dark magic users was a dangerous job, but he loved it. Tim liked the rush he felt when he was able to help progress the investigation, he liked being a part of something bigger than himself, and most importantly, he liked that he already felt like he had a place on the team.

This wasn't just something he could walk away from. Not after he had already gotten a taste of this life.

"I can do it," Tim concluded, then repeated, with a confident tone and hardened resolve. "I can do this."

* * *

 **Woolworth -** _Where the Magical Congress resides, according to the new_ Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them _movie._

 **Mandrake Leaf -** _There is a long and tedious process to become an animagus, and part of this process includes holding a mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month._

 **Tractonum -** _A spell I created. The root "tract" literally means "to extract" or "to take/get" in Latin._

 **U.C. -** _Unforgivable Curse._

 **Polyjuice Potion -** _A potion that changes a person's appearance and has to be made specifically with the intended person's DNA in the brew (hair/fur). Takes about a month to complete._

 **Repello Inimicum -** _A defensive spell that creates a strong barrier around an area._

 **Gibbs' Rules -** _Only Rule #15 is an actual one of his rules. I had to tweak them a bit to apply more to this world._

 **Unsub -** _Actually stands for Unknown Subject, but here it will mean anyone that McGee has not identified._

 **Cruciatus Curse -** _One of the three Unforgivable Curses. Inflicts intense, excruciating pain on the victim. However, it is known that it does not do any physical harm to the receiver, there are occasions when the spell affects a person mentally (depending on the circumstances)._


End file.
